The Wolf Returns
by Commentaholic - Alpha 02
Summary: Months have passed since Balto found his new home among the wolves, leaving Nome behind him physically, but not mentally. When Nome goes quiet, curiosity arises as to the fate of his beloved Jenna.  The wolf pack discovers the truth behind Nome's silence
1. Prologue: Empty Streets, Dead Eyes

**The Wolf Returns**

By Commentaholic - Alpha 05

**A/N: Well, here's another Balto story... This one's been spinning around since before the idea for my other Balto fic came to mind, so I'm kinda interested in how this unfolds. Title's a work in progress... Not sure what to put.**

**Another depressing start, I'm warning you. Will get happier later, perhaps.**

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><p><strong>Prologue: <strong>_Empty Streets, Dead Eyes_

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><p>The wolves prowled the empty streets, sniffing at the scraps left behind by the townspeople, who were long gone from this place, at least, those that survived the outbreak. Distheria's scourge had consumed the small town, beginning with the children and, once it breached quarantine by way of a roaming rat, moving on to the adults who were not immune to its deadly presence.<p>

Those who hadn't been fortunate enough to survive still lay where they had fallen, bodies preserved by the cold snow that perpetually fell in the northern wastes. A pair of wolves gnawed at one of the bodies until another growled at them, telling them to let the bodies be. These dead were contaminated and not safe for consumption. The pack continued to stalk through the town, ears alert for the sound of guns being prepared. Many times had the pack been shot at for nearing the town in search of sustenance, and many times had they been driven away by the loud devices that slew several of their number before the pack managed to retreat to a safe distance.

In this cold, unforgiving land, there was little food to spare, and with mating season coming on, they would need a new source of food to feed the new pups. That was why the pack's Alpha Male risked searching the town in the hopes of finding some forgotten tidbit of food left behind by a previous search.

But one pack member in particular wasn't searching for food. Lifting the pins from the hinges of the door of a small shed set against the side of a small building just outside of town, he poked his nose inside, sniffing.

"Jenna?" asked Balto, "Are you there?" The shed was filled with her scent, for it was where she had been kept at night when her humans were asleep. No reply. Balto's eyes fell upon an orange bandana lying in a bundle upon the ground. He padded over to it and inhaled its aroma. It smelled so much of Jenna. It was hers, after all, so why wouldn't it? _But where is she? _he wondered. He picked it up, slipping it over his neck. A memento of his past life and of the female husky to whom he had always regretted not confessing his love.

Balto looked around for any sign: A discarded bone, half eaten dog food. Nothing substantial remained. Balto grabbed the bowl of dog food so that he would have something to show for his slipping away from the group. He carried the dish in his jaws, keeping it level so that none of what lay within spilled out onto the ground. It wasn't much, but it was food nonetheless, and thus was not to be wasted.

A howl filled the air, causing Balto's ears to perk up and prompting him to pick up his pace. The pack's call meant that they were done here. Working through the back streets that he knew so well, Balto soon found his way in the center of town where the rest of the pack congregated with their various findings.

Jiska, a dark-furred female, had found some beef jerky at the bottom of a bag in the general store; Gurden and Lyron, twin brown-furred brother wolves had managed to drag over the frozen husk of a caribou that had been left behind by the humans. They would no doubt be praised for their 'catch'. They always were, Balto thought bitterly. They were either very skilled or very lucky. The other four members of the pack: Rynil, Vergot, Naydar and Loptir, the Alpha Male, hadn't found much, but they would survive for a while yet with Gurden and Lyron's scavengings, if they made it last.

Loptir swept a critical eye over the collected consumables, noting with a frown Jenna's bandana around Balto's neck, before nodding. It would be enough. He turned and began heading back towards the forest, the rest of the wolf pack following, food being carried along in their jaws.

Balto looked back as the pack entered the treeline, casting one more sorrowful gaze over what had once been the town of Nome, Alaska. _Jenna... _he murmured, turning to follow the pack. _His _pack.

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><p><strong>AN: Brief, yes. Emotional... yes... Don't worry, I will explain, you can count on that happening... R+R! **

**-=Commentaholic - Alpha 05=-**


	2. Chapter I: Old Friends, Old Memories

**The Wolf Returns**

By Commentaholic - Alpha 05

**A/N: Here I am again.**

**In clarification, this story occurs in an alternate timeline in which Balto left some time before the Diptheria outbreak (When is still up for debate in my head). As such, he was not there to finish the medicine delivery, and so the town suffered due to Steele's incompetence. Balto still fancied/fancies Jenna, so he does miss her on occasion.**

**FYI: Normal letters are... well... normal. Italics are either thoughts, imagination, dreams or flashbacks. In this chapter's case, it has thoughts and flashbacks.**

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><p><strong>Chapter One: <strong>_Old Friends, Old Memories_

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><p>After a while, the dens came into view. The tired scouting party breathed sighs of relief as their tired limbs carried them through the snowy forest. Balto halted, catching a familiar scent on the wind: Herring.<p>

"You guys go ahead... I- I'll catch up," he mumbled.

"If you say so. Just don't stay out here too long," Loptir said, continuing on with the rest of the pack towards their cluster of cave dwellings set into the cliff to the north. Above the series of dens was Falcon's Peak, gleaming in the last few rays of sunshine that soared across the open air between the horizon and the stone monolith. Balto nodded before turning away, running off into the forest, sniffing all the way.

The scent grew stronger and stronger and then... disappeared? _What?_ Balto was puzzled. He backtracked to where he'd last smelled the scent: a tree. He looked around, but the source was nowhere to be seen. Balto's ears twitched as he heard the creaking sound of strained wood and looked up just in time to hear an excited shout of "Balto!" then he found himself buried by two piles of white fur. Balto laughed as he crawled out from under the two polar bears.

"Muk and Luk. I should've known." Balto grunted. The larger polar bear Luk, grabbed Balto and pulled him into a tight embrace, which Balto fought to extricate himself from. "Alright fellas, I thought I warned you to stay away from the pack's territory. I can't protect you, especially not now that food is scarce. The pack might decide to turn you into dinner."

Luk whimpered and Muk comforted him, "Of course he doesn't mean it. Balto wouldn't let them eat us... would you?" The smaller polar bear's eyes met Balto's. Balto averted his gaze.

"I can't promise anything anymore. The pack is going hungry, and unless we move on to a more rich hunting ground, we'll all die of starvation." Balto noticed the worried faces, so he decided to change the subject, "What are you doing here, anyway?"

Muk's eyes lit up, "Oh, right. Uncle Boris wanted to see you."

_Boris?_ Balto hadn't seen Boris in ages, not since...

_"Hey Balto, I've got a message for your mother!" Steele chuckled before throwing his head back and letting loose a mocking howl, soon followed by his cronies, Nikki, Kaltag and Star._

_Balto snarled and advanced as the insults kept coming. He was _not_ a wolf._

_"Hey Balto, translate this for me, will you?" _

_All his life, Balto had tried to become accepted by the town, but everyone seemed determined to make him an exile_

_"What's Wolf for 'Go chase your tail?'" _

_Balto snarled and advanced on the group of sled dogs. Steele turned, seeing Balto approaching. "Get him," he commanded to his followers. The dogs leapt in front of Steele, barking like mad at Balto. Behind them, Steele smirked._

_"Get out of here, Wolf Dog. You'd better get back to your pack!" Steele spat, a glob of spittle landing on Balto's nose. Balto shook it off, growling. He would've attacked them then and there if not for Boris popping up right in front of him. _No one _made fun of him_

_"Maybe it's the unrelenting fear talking, but I'm seeing wisdom in this advice. Maybe we go now, eh? NOW!" the snow goose commanded, pushing Balto's head to the side to urge him to leave. Balto reluctantly turned and left with Boris. More jeers came from behind them as they went up the alley. They didn't make it far before piles of snow were hurled at them by Steele and his gang. Balto ignored it. _

_Suddenly something hard hit him in the back of the head, sending Balto reeling into a pile of wood. Stars spun before his eyes, but Balto only knew that he had to get out of there before more came. He and Boris sprinted down the alley, leaving Steele far behind them._

_They were on the way back to the abandoned ship that was Balto's home when Balto stopped and sniffed the air. Something familiar... He turned and saw four wolves up on a distant hill: three adults and a pup. One howled to him an invitation, one that Balto was now seriously considering._

_Boris looked on as Balto stood there, conflicted with his own thoughts. _

_"Balto, I don't blame you if you go with them."_

_Balto looked at the snow goose in surprise, "Boris?"_

_"Balto, how long have I been taking care of you?"_

_"As long as I can remember," Balto replied._

_"Right. And all that time, I've been trying to help you figure out what you are... Balto... You've tried the dog," Boris sighed, "Now you should try the wolf."_

_Balto was dumbstruck. "Boris, you can't be serious!"_

_Boris patted Balto condescendingly on the cheek, "Of course I'm serious. But don't get me wrong. I expect you to visit and clean up every once and a while." Boris said, holding up a finger. Balto laughed for a moment before the smile faded._

_"I'll come back, Boris. I promise."_

_Balto turned away from the past, embracing the future. The future of the pack. Before he reached the hill, the wolves waiting for him atop it, he turned back towards Nome, his eyes seeking out any trace of that one particular Husky. _"_Jenna..." Balto murmured, "I'll come back for you, too."_

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><p><strong>AN: Well, there's another chapter. This one might take priority, considering how popular it seems to be and how fast I can seem to write these chapters.**

**This one was more of an explanation of the timeline we're working off of, and when Balto left the town.**

**That was where this story turned AU. From Balto's choice to join the wolves. Those of you who watched the first movie may remember them. When I was watching the movie, I almost wished that he DID join them... so I made him do it. But of course, in the movie, he probably only stayed in town for Jenna's sake. See you all next time!**

**-=Commentaholic - Alpha 05=-**


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